Will head injury become a nightmare for Utley like it was for Morneau?

Posted by Mandy Housenick | September 07, 2011 at 11:57 PM

A quick update on Chase Utley....

After getting hit in the head with a 91 mph sinker in the sixth inning Wednesday, he was pulled for a pinch hitter in the eighth because Charlie Manuel said he was having headaches.

"Anytime that there’s impact like that in the head area, it’s scary," GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

Amaro said Utley will have impact tests in a day or two, and they will be compared to the baseline tests the team does on every player in spring training.

The GM added that Utley will do no physical activity Thursday and won't play for at least a couple of days. He did not fly to Milwaukee with the team Wednesday night. He will see a doctor Thursday.

"We think it’s very, very mild, but we’re going to be cautious with it obviously," Amaro said. "You don’t want to mess with the head."

Instead of calling someone up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, which is in the playoffs, Amaro said the club will activate SS Jimmy Rollins (groin strain), but he will only be used tomorrow in an emergency situation. The Phils will fill in with Michael Martinez, Wilson Valdez and Pete Orr.

Questions are flying around about whether or not LHP Eric O'Flaherty tried to hit Utley on purpose, and others are asking if Utley did his usual "not moving" routine.

No ... and ... No.

In a tie game, there's no way O'Flaherty would have purposely hit Utley to load the bases. And here is what Manuel said about Utley not moving...."He didn’t see it. The ball hit him right on top of the head. He would have gotten out of the way if he could have. He wasn’t trying to get hit in the head.”

Here's what's really concerning: Twins star Justin Morneau appears to still be suffering the side affects of a concussion that kept him out 81 games last season.

This info comes courtesy of John Shipley from the St. Paul Pioneer Press...."Justin Morneau has missed a lot of baseball this season, but not because of the concussion that sidelined him 81 games last year. The biggest issue surrounding him heading into this season, the concussion, was nearly forgotten as the 2006 American League Most Valuable Player struggled through neck, arm and wrist injuries.

But the concussion reared its head again Monday (Aug. 30), when a severe headache persuaded Twins trainers to have Morneau tested for a concussion. A specialist looked over the results and recommended the first baseman be shut down for at least a couple of days. ....

The original concussion was suffered more than a year ago, July 7, 2010, when Morneau was kneed in the head by Toronto shortstop John McDonald while breaking up a double play at Rogers Centre. Morneau tried to stay in shape and made a last-ditch effort to come back for the playoffs, but it never worked.

Morneau said recently that he didn't really begin healing until after the season, when he was away from the team and not working out."